Islam and Christianity

 

 I. Rise of new religion and theological state

       A. Muhammad (570-632)

             1. Family of caravan traders in Mecca

             2. Muhammad a new prophet

                           a. builds on Jewish and Christian tradition

                           b. Qur'an are his revelations

     

        B. A new book
             1. Muhammad is a prophet, not son of God
                           a. final revelation of the God of Abraham
             2. Clarity and strictness in comparison to Christianity
                           a. Five pillars
                           b. The Qur'an on war
      

II. Theological state on a different model

        A. Muhammad is both a religious and political leader

        B. Muslims united by a practical religion

                1. religion of laws and practice rather than doctrine

                2. Ulama, but no real ecclesiastical hierarchy

                3. Occasions when politics create religious divide

                               a. dispute over caliphate:  Shi'ites vs. Sunnis

        C. Contrasts with Rome and the West

                1. In Rome/Byzantium church and state have distinct powers

                               a. hierarchy polices doctrine while the state maintains justice

                2. In Islam, secular and religious life closely linked

                3. West later eliminates religious power as a result of religious wars

                               a. West focuses identity on secular states

                4. Islam did not suffer same history; Muslims not so inclined to distinguish secular/religious  

                               a. much less attracted to Western-style nationalism   

                               b. Turkey is the great exception.  Iraq was also supposed to be . . .      
            

III. Muslim Empires

     A. From Mesopotamia to France (Battle of Poitiers, 732)

    

     B. Conquer much of Byzantine Empire

             1. Monophysite split helps Muslim conquest

             2. Constantinople and heartland long defended by "Greek Fire" (678, 718)

             3. Byzantine battles with Muslims trigger crusades in 1090s, when emperor asks for help

                4. Byzantines finally destroyed by Turks in 1453

                               a. Christianity becomes almost exclusively a European religion

 

     C. Arab civilization at its height

             1. Empire and wealth

             2. Umayyads (Damascus)

             3. Abassids (Baghdad)

                               a. Baghdad c. 1000

               

     D. Incorporation of Byzantine, Persian, and Indian culture and art with Arabic traditions

                1. Architecture: Byzantine model with Arabic flavor

                               a. Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

             2. acquisition of Greek, Roman, Persian and Indian learning

                               a. Greek philosophy and science preserved and studied

                               b. mathematics, chess, and music
                            c. all of the above transmitted to primitive West via Spain, Sicily